1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of devices for dispensing flexible sheets, and more specifically to an apparatus for dispensing disposable floor mats one at a time from a stack of mats, the apparatus including a mat retaining structure having a mat loading end and a mat dispensing end for holding a stack of mats, the mat in the stack nearest the dispensing end being hereinafter designated as the lead mat, and having a dispensing slot disposed laterally of and adjacent to the lead mat at the mat dispensing end, and stop members for preventing the lead mat from advancing beyond the dispensing slot, and a removable spring-loaded stack support member at the mat loading end for continually biasing the stack so that the lead mat always bears against the stop members, and a lead mat sliding assembly including a gripping member having a high-friction mat engaging surface and a handle member, and guide members oriented substantially perpendicular to and on the dispensing end side of the dispensing slot, on which the gripping member rides, for guiding the gripping member as it advances toward the dispensing slot parallel to and spaced apart from the lead mat, and then toward and against the lead mat, and then directly toward the dispensing slot, pushing a portion of the lead mat through the dispensing slot to become accessible to the apparatus user, the stack support member then automatically biasing the next lead mat in the stack against the stop members and adjacent to the dispensing slot, the mats preferably being formed of paper with a felt-like covering on one side, the felt-like covering providing a non-slip surface for safe mat use, while not binding with the non-felt side of an abutting mat when on the stack inside the apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been devices for dispensing flexible sheets from a stack of flexible sheets one at a time. These devices have taken the form of paper towel and napkin dispensers, and tissue paper boxes. Problems with these devices have included complexity and expense, unreliability and continual exposure of part of one sheet in a moisture-filled or contaminated environment. The latter are not well suited to use in bathrooms, whether in the home or in a hotel, because of high humidity generated by shower water.
Carberry, U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,305, issued in 1988, teaches a sheet paper dispenser device. The device includes a tray for holding a stack of paper. The tray has an open side for dispensing sheets and a flange at the forward edge to retard the movement of the sheets so that only one can advance at a time. A drive assembly on top of the tray includes four wheels which rest against the top sheet and are joined together by a drive chain, for advancing the top sheet through the open side. A problem with Carberry is that the sprocket, wheel and drive chain assembly is relatively complicated and expensive to manufacture.
Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,306, issued in 1988, reveals a stack of sheet material in a container with a top opening. Each sheet has along one edge a band of adhesive material to maintain the sheets in the stack. This arrangement is somewhat similar to that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,570, issued in 1992. This later patent discloses an apparatus for dispensing paper sheets from a stack, each sheet having a band of pressure sensitive adhesive on one surface adjacent an edge of the sheet. The dispenser arcs the stack and presses it toward the pressure sensitive portions and through a dispenser opening so that a user can grasp the top most sheet and pull it free. Removal of one sheet from the stack apparently pulls the next sheet into an accessible position. A problem with these designs is that a portion of the top sheet is always directly exposed. If the atmosphere is extremely humid, as in the case of a shower room, the paper may become soggy before it is used. This sogginess may also cause the sheet to tear apart rather than slide out of the dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,249, issued in 1992, discloses a stacked sanitary paper dispenser and a method for making the stack of paper. The stack consists of folded interleaving sheets forming a pile which is placed inside a cardboard sleeve which is open at both ends. The sleeve includes a first pair of opposite sides parallel and adjacent to the folding edges of the sheets and a second pair of sides parallel to the sheet surfaces and perpendicular to the first pair, and a sheet dispensing opening in at least one side. U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,179, issued in 1992, teaches an apparently similar sleeve dispenser structure for paper towels. A problem with these dispenser designs is that floor mats are heavier and generally larger than paper towels and sanitary paper sheets. Floor mats do not lend themselves as much to dispensing from a roll and should not be bent into the curve of a roll or sleeve, because they may tend to curl and spindle rather than lay flat on the floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,561, issued in 1992, reveals a napkin dispenser including a napkin housing with interchangeable face plates. A door is hinged to an opening in the housing and a face plate is detachably secured to the door. The napkins are dispensed through an opening in the face plate. The face plate can be changed to accommodate different types of napkins. The dispenser apparently depends on the friction of a napkin being pulled through the face plate opening dragging part of the next napkin through the opening. Once again, a problem is that part of a sheet item is always directly exposed to the atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,774, issued in 1992, discloses an absorbent floor mat which is attachable to an existing floor with fastener means. A problem with this design is that the fastening means must be engaged and removed for each use, and must either be kept loose somewhere in the bathroom or somehow dispensed together with the mat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,275, issued in 1982, reveals a disposable floor mat for bathrooms. The mat includes a sheet of liquid-absorbing matting with a multiplicity of raised portions and depressed portions distributed over the top of the matting. These raised portions are of substantially rigid and incompressible material for supporting the feet of a person and keeping the feet relatively dry. A problem with this design is that the raised portions make the mat relatively thick and abrasive. A relatively small number of these mats could be placed in a given dispenser, and the mats would tend to bind with each other against the independent lateral movement necessary for dispensing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,592 discloses a disposable floor mat for use in an environment saturated with water. The mat has a sealant on one side to keep out moisture and a pressure sensitive adhesive on the other side to stick to a floor. A protective liner covers the adhesive, and is pealed away to expose the adhesive for use. A problem with this design is that the adhesive layer and protective liner make the mat relatively expensive to manufacture.
McIntosh, U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,135, issued in 1989, discloses a floor mat containing a disposable absorbent pad. This multilayered mat has a water-resistant, perforated top layer, an absorbent middle layer, and a water resistant bottom layer. The absorbent middle layer is intended to draw liquids and solids through the top layer perforations and out of contact with a user standing on the mat. A problem with McIntosh is that the multiple layers and perforations and edge sealing all make it relatively complicated and expensive to manufacture. Another problem is that the thickness of the triple-layered mat make it difficult or unsuitable for use in a dispenser apparatus.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a disposable floor mat dispenser apparatus which reliably dispenses one mat at a time from a stack of mats, and a mat which is suitable for use in the apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is easy to load with mats.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which keeps all the mats in the stack under cover until needed.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.